Picture a Cuban-American pediatric cardiologist spinning heartfelt young adult tales by night—meet Ismée Amiel Williams! With a stethoscope in one hand and a pen in the other, Williams crafts stories that pulse with emotion, blending her medical expertise and cultural roots into novels like Water in May and This Train Is Being Held. Her work captures the heartbeat of diverse teens navigating love, family, and identity.
Born to a Cuban immigrant mother and raised with her abuelo’s bedtime stories, Williams infuses her writing with Latinx vibrancy. Her dual career as a doctor and author makes her a unique voice in young adult fiction, where she tackles heavy themes with tenderness and authenticity.
The Making of Ismée Amiel Williams
Growing up in Connecticut as the daughter of a Cuban immigrant, Ismée Amiel Williams was steeped in stories from her abuelos, who taught her to roll her r’s and sing nursery rhymes. Her mixed-cultural upbringing—Cuban warmth meets American hustle—shaped her perspective. After studying ballet for 13 years, she pivoted to medicine, training as a pediatric cardiologist at Columbia University Medical Center. But in 2010, while on bedrest during pregnancy, she rediscovered her love for books and began writing to evoke emotion in readers.
Ismée Amiel Williams’s Unforgettable Stories
Williams’s debut, Water in May (2017), follows Mari Pujols, a 15-year-old Dominican-American teen facing a pregnancy complicated by her baby’s heart defect. Drawing from Williams’s work with young mothers in Washington Heights, the novel weaves medical realism with raw emotion, earning praise for its authentic portrayal of Latina teens. Kirkus Reviews called it “fierce and tender,” highlighting Mari’s tenacity.
In This Train Is Being Held (2020), a slow-burn subway romance unfolds between Isa, a half-Cuban ballerina, and Alex, a Dominican-American poet and baseball player. Inspired by New York City’s melting pot and likened to a modern West Side Story, it tackles racism, mental health, and family pressures. The Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection and ILBA Gold Medal winner showcases Williams’s knack for multicultural narratives.
Her picture book, Abuelo, the Sea, and Me (2024), and her contributions to the anthology Boundless: Twenty Voices Celebrating Multicultural and Multiracial Identities (2023) further highlight her commitment to diverse storytelling. Williams’s style—vivid, empathetic, and culturally rich—bridges universal coming-of-age struggles with Latinx experiences, making her work resonate deeply.
Why Ismée Amiel Williams Matters
Ismée Amiel Williams is more than an author; she’s a trailblazer amplifying Latinx voices in young adult fiction. As a co-founder of the Latinx Kidlit Book Festival, she champions representation, ensuring diverse stories reach students and educators. Her novels, rooted in her Cuban-American heritage and medical expertise, offer nuanced portrayals of multicultural teens, fostering empathy and connection. Williams’s ability to balance a demanding career with award-winning writing inspires readers and writers alike.
- Key Works: Water in May (2017), This Train Is Being Held (2020), Abuelo, the Sea, and Me (2024)
- Awards: Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection, ILBA Gold Medal for Best YA Romance
- Fun Fact: She lives in NYC with her husband, three daughters, a dog, and two cats!
Snag This Train Is Being Held and dive into Ismée Amiel Williams’s vibrant, heart-tugging world of young adult fiction!